1. Field of the Invention
The present invention pertains to modular array arrangements comprising a carrier and at least one insert for attachment to said carrier, which at least one insert may be positioned in or on said carrier in a predetermined, fixed orientation. In addition, the present invention relates to an insert having first connecting means and at least one section adapted for the application of samples, to a method of preparing a modular array arrangement and to a method for using such modular array arrangements in a screening assay.
2. Description of the Related Art
In the recent past micro-arrays or micro-chips, respectively, have attracted a great deal of interest, since they allow screening for a high number of different samples in one single assay. Such micro-arrays normally comprise a solid surface bearing multiple samples, generally of biological nature, such as nucleic acids or proteins, which serve as so called capture probes in the assay. These capture probes are capable to bind to target molecules based on their inherent natural property in a specific manner. In the case of using oligo- or polynucleotides as capture probes, these molecules may bind to nueleotides exhibiting a sequence complementary to the sequence of the capture nucleotide, while in case of an antibody, as a representative of proteins, this antibody may bind to its specific antigen. In most studies involving micro-arrays, the target molecules derived from a sample are labeled and incubated with the array. Subsequently, the amount of material bound to the specific capture probes is determined by techniques, such as e.g. radioactivity, colorimetry or fluorescence.
However, most of the micro-arrays commercially available carry several thousands of capture probes and are, therefore, due to this huge number of capture probes to be synthesized, purified, quantified, and to be fixed on the solid support quite expensive and require a rather complicated data analysis. Yet, during an assay being performed, many capture probes are normally not of real interest, so that a given micro-array is utilized only partly, adding to waste and cost.
Thus, there is a need for micro-arrays allowing a flexibility in the assembly of capture probes and being adapted to the changing needs during the various assays to be performed. In order to meet commercial demands, such micro-arrays should be producible at low costs and be quickly available to a user.